Tuesday, January 4, 2011

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

He walks across the green turf of LSU’s indoor practice facility, into a corner of the massive building next to the north end zone where a row of blocking pads are attached to the wall.

Knees bent, he locks into ready position as though the pads are a real live opposing receiver and begins his work. He slides from one pad to the next, back and forth, his arms firing out like pistons, slapping them like they’ve hurled an insult his way.

Bap...bap...bap...bap...bap.

No one is around. No coach is in his ear imploring him to work harder. No one has to tell him anything.

The voice is in his head. The voice telling him that it isn’t just talent alone that will take him where he wants to go.

It’s sweat. It’s the extra mile. It’s every day.

Bap...bap...bap....bap...bap.

“It comes from my father,” Peterson said. “He always put in my head that you’ve got to be better than the next man. While I’m working, someone else is sleeping. I definitely took that to heart. That helped me be the player I am today, but there are definitely things I can sharpen up.

“I tell myself, I want to be the best cornerback to ever come out of not only LSU, but the whole NCAA. That was my goal coming into college. I believe I have achieved some of the goals I have set.”